Rotary engine.



Patented Oct. 22, 1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

` W. BALL. ROTARY ENGINE.

' fli! W. BALL.

EOTARY ENGINE. APPLIUATION FILED 11.13.27, 190s.

Patented 001'.. 22.1912.

' 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

W. BALL. ROTARY BNG-INE.

APPLICATION FILED MAB.. 27, 1908.

Patented Oct. 22, 1912.

s SHEETS-SHEET s.

UNITED sTATEs f PATENT oEEToE.

WALTER BALL, F BOSTON, ,MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF, ONE-HALF T0 JOHN F.

COOLEY, .OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

noTanY ENGINE.

Specification f Letters Patent. Application led March 27, 1908. Serial No. 423,705:V

Patented Get. 22,1912.

To all whom it concern: e .Beuit known that I, WALTER zen of the United States, and resident of claims.

Boston, in the county of Sulolk and State of Massachusetts, have inventednew and useful Improvements in Rotary Engines,lof

which the following is a specifica-tion.

This invention relates to rotaryY engines,

the word engines being used in its broad Figure l represents a vertical cross .sec-

tion on line 1-2 of Fig. 4Qfof'ah engine embodying my invention, especially vdesigned t'o be usedas a liquid pump, Fig. -2

' represents a longitudinal central section of dthe engine shown in Fig. 1 taken. on line 3--4 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is anend view, partly broken away, illustrating'the roller.

bearings for the two rotary elements-' Referring to the drawings, A represents one of the two principal rotary elements,

provided with a curved 'channel a which preferably describes a spiral'path about the center of the element A.. lMore than one curved channel may be providedand I have illustrated in the drawings two fcurved channels precisely similar to each other.

lThe path of the curve of such channels may also be varied, but I have shown a spiral path as well adapted to the use `of the engine as a pump. The rotary element.

A is mounted on a shaft B. The other principal rotary element 1s made up of the discoid members C, one at each side of the element A', having. webs c extending between them and describing curves similar tothe curve of the channels a, and contained with- 'in Athe channels'a.,l The axis of the latter principal element is offset .from the axis lof the element A. Said axesy are relatively. fixed and are parallel with eachother. The

y center of rotation, or'the ,.axis; of element A is shownat the-point A' and the center of rotation, or the axis, of the other element is shown at the point G. The web c is of a width less than the 'width of the channel a by an amount equal to twice the oii'set BALL, I a citi-4 channels a.

between the axes of the elements and is at all positions of the elements tangent to thel wallsof the channel:

A casing D mounted on a suitable base d incloses andsupports both rotary elements. The casing Dis provided with annular inwardly extending projections d', forming bearing surfaces for roller bearlngs 7' held between said annular projections and the shaft B. The casing D is also provided with the exterior projection (Z2 to accommodate the gland da, and the exterior projection -d7,acc0mmodating similar glands d and having an-orifice d* with which Va j liquid supply pipe d5 communicates.

The shaft B is made hollow as shown at b fand is provided with a series of ports b which successively egister with the orifice d* as the shaft rotates. Ports b2 connect the passage b with the inner ends of the spiral The outer ends ef the-spiral channels a communicate with the space between the rotary member A and the casing D. The casingD'has an outlet port d".

The disk members C are provided on their outer sides with annular projections c3 forming bearing surfaces for roller bearings r. Bearing rings c supported within casing D by means of adjusting screws c2, form the opposite bearlngsurfaces for rollers r. To cause the two eccentric rotary elements to rotate vtogether at equal angular velocities,

they are coupled together by a .plurality of cylindrical rollers E engaging circular bearing surfaces e in constant rolling contact therewith, the bearing surfaces e. being d1s- .tributed in each element in like angular and radial positions. The roll lrs E arefless in diameter than the diame ers of their respective bearing apertures e by an amount equal to the offset between the axes of the element. The. elements will thus be caused to vrotate, IVtogether at equal angular velocities.`

The operation of the as a pump, -is as follows: Rotary motion is imparted in any manner from an external source of power to the rotary .element A through shaft B. The other principal element is thereby also caused to rotate on its own -fixed axis in the manner hereinbefore described, at the same angular velocity as the element A. The spiral webs c will roll device', when used upon the walls of the /spiral channels a, asl the Webs and the walls of the channel are at all times tangent to each other the differ-ry ence in radial distance between'the elements '5 at their points of Contact being equal tothe offset between the axes of the elements.` There will also occur a slipping between the webs and the channels at the, point of con-- tact Whichin a full revolution will be equal to an amount corresponding to a. circumference of a circle whose radius is equal to said oii'set. Thepoint of tangency between the web and channel wall will progress relatively to the elements as. the elements rot-ate, but 'will remain relatively fixed inrelatio'n to the plane of the relatively fixed offset centers of the .elements The brokenline -,6 represents the permanent plane in which said points of tangency will remain. As 4t-he point of tangency progresses with the rotation of the elements, 4the space between the web and the walls of the channel will progress correspondingly with relation to the elements and will draw in liquid through inlet pipe (Z5, which is connected with a lsource-of supply,l whence the liquid will pass through chamber Z) in the shaft B, passage 6 2, channels a, and be discharged from the outer ends of channels z into the space between the element A and the casing D andtheuce through outlet port de. During the operation above described the elements are assumed to have been rotating counter clockwise. 35 Obviously the engine may be rotated in reverse direction in which event the outlet port would beco'me the inlet port and vice versa, .and the course of the liquid would be the reverse of that just described; also while I have described its operation asa pump, obviously it could be used also as a motor or meter, and the word f engine as used in the specificationl and claims issused in its broad sense, comprising pumps, motors and meters. j

I claim: 1. In a rotaryengine, two rotary elements mounted on parallel, relatively fixed. aXes offset from each other, a straight shaft, one of said elements being fast on said/shaft', Asaid element and shaft turning together as a single or integral part, said shaft supported in suitable bearings, and the other of said `elements being supported by relatively fixed bearings whose aXls is eccentric to the axis of said shaft, connection between said elements t0 cause them to rotate in the same direction atequal -angular velocities, each of said elements being provided with spaced, curved walls, said walls forming a channel describing a curved path, the curved `walls of each element projecting within the curved channel of the other element, said walls adapted as the` elements rotate to remain 65 tangent toeach other, the point of tangency l plane with relation to -a planef being .progressive and remaining in the same plane with relation to a plane passing throu h the oifset axes of the elements.

` .2. lgn a rotary engine, two rotary elements mounted on parallel, relatively rixed axes' offset from each other, a'straight shaft, one of said elements being fast on said shaft, said 'element andi. shaft turning together as a's'ingle or integral part, said shaft supported in suitable bearings, and the other of said elements-being mounted in relatively fixed annular bearings surrounding said shaft but eccentric thereto, connection between said elements-to cause them to rotate in the same direction at equal angular velocities, each of said elements having spaced, curved walls, said walls formingI `a channel describing `a curved path, the curved walls of each element projecting within the curved channel of the other element, said walls adapted as the elements rotate to remain tangent to each other, the point of tangency being progressiveand remaining in the same plane with relation to a plane passing through the offset axes of the elements.

3. In a rot-ary engine, mounted on'parallel, `odset from each other, a straight shaft, one of said elements being fast on said shaft, said element and shaft turning together as a single or integral part, said4 shaft supported in suitable bearings, and thev other of said elements being mounted in relatively fixed annular 'bearings surrounding said shaft but eccentric thereto, connectlon betwo rotary elements.` relatively fixed axestween said elements to cause them to rotate in the same-direction at equal angular velocities, each of said elements having spaced, curved walls, saidewalls vforming a channel describing a curved path, the curved 4walls of each element projecting within the curved channel of the other element, said walls adapted as the elements rotate to remain tangent to each-other, the point of tangency be' g progressive and remaining in the ,same

ass through 'the offsetaxes ofthe elemenlt's, an

a casing `inclosing both rotary elements and carryingsaid eccentrlc bearings one within the other, said casing providing. a closed chamber communicating with said channels.

4. In a rotary engine, two rotary elements mounted on A' parallel, relatively fixed aires offset from each other, -a straight shaft, one

of said elements being fast on said shaft, said element and shaft turning together as a single or integral part, said shaft suported in suitable bearings, andthe other o said A.

elements being supported by relativelydixed bearings whose axis iseccentric to the axis of saidshaft, Aconnection between said ele- -ments to cause them to rotate in the same direction at equal angular velocities, each of said elements being provided with spaced,

curved walls, said walls forming a channel describing a curved path, the curved-walls of each element projecting Within the curved channel of the other element, said Walls adapted as the elements rotate to remain tangent to each other, the point of tangency being progressive and remaining in the same plane with 4relation to a plane passing through the oset axes of the elements, and means to adjust the extent of offset Abetween said axesl Y 5. In a rotary engine, two rotary elements mounted on parallel, relatively fixed axes offset from each other, a straight shaft, one of said elements being fast on said shaft, said shaft and element turning together as a single or integral part, said shat supported in suitable bearings, and the other of said elements being supported by relatively fixed annular bearings surrounding said shaft but eccentric thereto, the element mounted on the shaft being provided with a channel describing a spiral path,said shaft being vmade hollow andthe inner'rend ofthe spiral channel communicating with said s ff. 1re

Ahollow shaft, the outer end of said spiral channel opening through the periphery of said element, and the other of said elements having a Wall describing a spiral path corresponding with the spiral path of the channel and projecting therein, said Wall adapted as said elements rotate to remain tangent to the Walls of the channel, the latter element being supported by annular bearings surrounding said shaft but eccentric thereto, and a casing inclosing both of said elements and carrying said shaft bearings and said eccentric annular bearings, said casing constituting a chamber spaced from the periphery of said element with which chamber the outer end of said spiral channel communicates, said chamber provided with a port.

Signed by me at Boston, Massachusetts, this 18th day of March, 1908.

, WALTER BALL. Witnesses:

ROBERT CUSHMAN, CHARLES D. WOODBERRY. 

